


Sidelined

by Maya_Koppori



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-05-15 21:21:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5800591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maya_Koppori/pseuds/Maya_Koppori
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short vent on Chat and Ladybug's feelings on the word sidekick and how it applies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sidelined

There were some things that Adrien couldn’t picture anyone arguing about about. The sky was blue, the Eiffel Tower was big, and heroes had sidekicks. It was the way the world worked.

As a kid, he’d thought that sidekicks got a bad rap. They did so much work, and saved their heroes so many times, but never got any credit. As Chat Noir, he’d been so excited to finally be a superhero all his own.

But then he’d met Ladybug, and he’d understood. Sidekicks _had_ to exist. The heroes were the ones who could help the world best, and the sidekicks were the ones who could help the heroes best. It wasn’t about credit or glory or fame- Adrien had had enough of that for a lifetime already- it was about priorities. If all he could do was cause a distraction, he would do it the best he could. If it gave Ladybug the time she needed to capture an akuma, that was good enough for him. Hers was the power that Paris needed most, and so her was the name they would cry in their times of need.

Sure, they’d never actually talked about it. Ladybug wasn’t the type of girl to go labeling herself a hero and Chat as her sidekick. She probably didn’t use the word because she didn’t even want to associate herself with him like that. But if you asked anyone on the streets of Paris about the heroic duo the word would come up every time.

“Ladybug!” a reporter called from the back of the crowd, drawing Chat’s thoughts away from his own internal dialogue and back to the press conference. “I have a question about the relationship between yourself and your sidekick. Is it only professional?”

Chat winced and glanced nervously to his right, where Ladybug stood with ramrod straight posture in front of the sea of reporters. He could tell she had been getting more and more annoyed with the press. The conference had started as a public service announcement on how to avoid akuma. But the questions kept getting more and more off topic. And now the reporters were pressing a hot button- Chat's not so secret crush on his lady.

Ladybug clenched her jaw so tight that Chat heard her teeth grinding together. Closing his eyes, Chat fought to keep his expression neutral. They’d been asked this before several times, though mostly by Alya. No matter how many times they shut the reporters down, they kept coming back. Maybe they saw through him, maybe they wondered why Ladybug reacted in anger. Whatever the reason, they weren’t earning themselves any favor with their stubbornness.

“For the last time, Chat Noir and I are not dating,” Ladybug hissed through her teeth. “And that’s all I’m going to say on the matter.”

“But there’s obviously something going on between you two,” another reporter piped up. “As hero and sidekick, you must be quite close.” A murmur of agreement swept through the crowd at his words.

 _You poor fool_ , was all Chat had time to think before Ladybug silenced the press with a single raised hand.

“I’m afraid there’s been some miscommunication on that part, too,” Ladybug said. She projected her voice for all assembled to hear. “Chat Noir is _not_ my sidekick.”

He had told himself that he would be okay with hearing those words, and he had believed it. He had never been more wrong. Chat flinched, his cat ears pressing flat to his head. It hurt more than he ever imagined to have Ladybug disown him in public like that. But it was for the best that he wouldn’t delude himself, he reasoned. It would hurt less from now on.

“Chat is my _partner._ ”

Chat’s eyes sprang open and stared unabashedly as Ladybug continued. “We both love this city, and we work together to protect it. None of this would even be possible without him, because I need him and I couldn’t do this without his help. We support each other.” She glared down at the shocked reporters and finished by adding, “And if you have questions about Chat, ask _him_. He can speak for himself. Thank you for your time.” Then she pulled out her yoyo, threw it, and swung away without a backward glance.

All eyes turned to Chat Noir, and so all eyes saw the complete shock and adoration on his face as he watched his lady go.

He grinned. _Partners._ Now that had a ring to it.


End file.
